Easiest way to see Spray Park on an overnight is to hike into Eagles Roost, pitch tent, then go up the next morning. We'll try for that this weekend, but with no reservations getting into any camping area is iffy in Rainier in the summer on a weekend. Tackling Echo Rock on 8/11 meant staying in Southern Spray on 8/10. This requires a backcountry permit and a GOOD understanding of the Leave No Trace & off-trail hike philosophies. Spray Park is gorgeous but heavily traveled and very fragile. One big advantage: once you've got this training and a permit, it's about the only way you get the ok to leave the trails. Not that you need to leave the trails to enjoy the fabulous display of flowers.) Hike in past Eagles Roost was good, surprisingly few bugs in the woods here around 4500-5000 feet. Up switchbacks to lower Spray Park was enrgetic. Once you hit Spray Park, be prepared to keep moving: bugs intensify as soon as you hit the warmer fields, particularly at the stream. Southern Spray is tough to find spots for even smallish 2-person tents. It helps if you are not looking for a lot of flat space. The higher up you go the easier it is to find a spot. Count on going 1/2 to 1 mile off the trail (minimum is 1/4 mile). Keep an eye on your compass as you go in and move around your camp area. White-outs can materialize quickly and leave you far more disoriented than you'd expect. We had some good cloud mist but visibility remained over 50 feet most of the time. Saw bear scat, cougar tracks, etc on the way out. Bear bag was untouched but next time we're taking a Garcia barrel. Hike up thru Spray Park the next morning was clear, sunny, not too hot early on, not a lot of hikers. Hike out thru Spray in the early afternoon was crowded, passed maybe 75 hikers. Approach to Echo Rock was clear, clean rock-to-rock hiking most of the way. Here again you are in ""leave-no-trace"" territory: there are vague pathways to follow but the trick is to use ground sparingly and stay up on the rocks, except to avoid stepping on any vegetation. Getting up to Echo Rock is a good scramble and rewards with an excellent view. Bagging the peak involves crossing snowfields at a fairly steep angle, requires crampons, ice axe, rope and mountaineering experience in the party. Watch for debris on the scramble, plenty of the rock is ready to slide.

Spray Park (G.T. Mt. Rainier west ) Just as in 1996 when I first came, it was a cloudy day and the great mountain above was invisible. But the wonderful the flowers, meadows, streams, tarns and forest made up for it just as before. And Spray falls is the bonus attraction which makes for a 5 start day. The trail is in excellent condition all the way with just a tiny bit of mud. The upper sections were rebuilt in the late 90's with flagstone steps and gravel . In ""50 Hikes in Mt. Rainier N.P."" Manning & Spring say ""... this is the supreme flower garden in the park. Pond sprinkled meadows, easy roaming ridges, endless and delightful nooks and crannies"". And so it is. Only Berkeley park on the North East side of the mountain can compete for flower honors. High up we had vast sweeps of white Avalanche lilies with accenting blue Lupine , white and pink Heather, magenta Paintbrush and several yellows. In the forest clearings lower down Mertensia, Larkspur, Queens cup, Shooting star, Hellebore, & Cordyalis starred. In deep forest Coral root, and wild Rasberry. Over 30 varieties , maybe 20 million blooms. The trail starts at Mowich lake campground elev. 4950 ft. and 26 rough miles south of Buckley. Take SR-165 south from Buckley and go thru Wilkeson and Carbonado ,go over the high one lane arch bridge over the Carbon river gorge and stay right at the junction at about 13 miles. Then bounce and jiggle over rough road the rest of the way to the trailhead. 86 miles and 2 hours from north Seattle. From beautiful Mowich lake (a worthy family day outing in itself) the trail proceeds about 2 1/4 miles with moderate ups and downs to the Spray falls vantage point. This section is thru outstanding high elevation old growth forest. Cross creeks, a little talus, a couple of avalanche chutes, small flower gardens, look at the bottom of Mowitch glacier from Eagle cliff viewpoint and then stare up, up , and up at Magnificent Spray falls. After visiting the falls the main trail starts up steeply for the next 3/4 mile taking 13 switchbacks to climb thru the forest next to a gorge up 600 ft. to the lowest meadow of Spray park elev. 5500 ft. Here we were much too hot due to climbing and sun breaks so shed layers of clothing. This would be a great view spot on a cloudless day. Now the trail climbs thru a succession of meadows , views , clusters of Alpine fir , and rock outcrops to top out at 6400 ft. on the ridge dividing Spray park from Seattle park. We had a cold windy lunch with all layers of clothing back on. On the way back down the marmots played for us in the meadows. Mountaineers club hiking groups are usually diverse: this one had ages from 20 thru 65, 5 men 6 women, people from N.Y, Texas, China, Hawaii, Tenessee and New Zealand and 3 Eric's . Ratings for the day: views 2 waterfalls 5 flowers 5 animals 4 forest 5 meadow 5 weather 3 solitude 3 insects 4 access rd 2 trailhead 5 Stats. 9.5 miles (including detours) 2200 ft.rise. 3 hr. 30 min. up 2 hr 30 min. down Temperature 44 deg. at high point (6400 ft.) with 15 knot wind wind chill about 30 deg. Robert Michelson 8/4/01

Anxious to witness the flower display the park service was touting so highly of, I set off after work for an evening stroll to my favorite park within the boundaries of Mt. Rainier. In about an hour's time I found myself roaming amongst the likes of glacier lillies, paintbrush, bluebells, heather and many unrecognized species. The flowers are definitely putting on a show, though are at least another week from their peak - probably more. Lupine was reported up higher, but in limited quantity. The heather is just begining to bloom. Glacier lillies are everywhere (first tip we are early yet). The trail is in excellent condition, with the added excitement of a bees nest shortly below the park! Yes, I discovered it the hard way. Bugs were not a problem until the shadows crept over the meadows. This event presented the green flag for mosquitos far and wide. Don http://www.mountainscenes.com

Trail mostly snow free. Several fairly small and easily negotiated snow patches, and one medium sized one up high. The more significant patch is just past the Mist Park view at about 6200'. Though it is a sidehill crossing, it does not require an ice axe, and should not be a significant problem for your typical weekend hiker. A massive bloom of Avalanche Lillies is underway. Lots of Shooting Star in damp areas. Magenta paintbrush is off to a good start. Lupine just starting in some places, not yet started in others. Too foggy/cloudy to see the Mountain.

A beautiful day spent admiring the north faces of Mt. Rainier. The Mowich Face, the Willis Wall, the Liberty Cap Glacier with it's 300 foot ice cliff! Rick introduced himself at the parking lot, and together we hiked the nearly level trail to Spray Falls, then turned up to Spray Park. We soon entered large moraines and snowfields, picking our way to Echo Rock. Rick and I parted company, and I put on crampons for the Flett Glacier, eager to hike up Observation Rock. I had lunch on top, looking across at the improbable upper Ptarmigan Ridge. I had the very broken Carbon Glacier on my left, and the very dramatic Mowich Glacier to the right. I had to get a closer look, so I scree-skied down to a basin, then a ridge that looked down on the glacier. I listened to eerie moans and cracking sounds for a time, then made my way down snowfields to an emerald tarn. Finally, a delightful traverse of heather benches and tarns (I only walked on rock or mud) led me back to the trail. But Hessong Rock loomed above, so I took it's steep trail up to a saddle, then around the back side of the Rock and up. This place is a hiker's paradise, with moraines, low-angled snowfields and tarns! Finally satisfied with my ""meal"", I sleepily strolled to the car.